National Institute on Drug Abuse - Intramural Research Program
Featured Paper of the Month – January 2024
Published in Current Biology by Brenton Laing and Yeka Aponte, et al. of the NIDA IRP Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Section.
Using techniques including in vivo functional imaging, behavioral paradigms, and neuronal tracing, Laing et al. investigated a small population of parvalbumin neurons in the anterior hypothalamic area (AHAPV).
Complete biosynthesis of cannabinoids and their unnatural analogues in yeast. Nature
The study and medicinal use of cannabinoids has been hampered by the legal scheduling of Cannabis, the low in planta abundances of nearly all of the dozens of known cannabinoids, and their structural complexity, which limits bulk chemical synthesis. Here we report the complete biosynthesis of the major cannabinoids cannabigerolic acid, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, cannabidiolic acid, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabivarinic acid and cannabidivarinic acid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, from the simple sugar galactose. Furthermore, we established a biosynthetic approach that harnessed the promiscuity of several pathway genes to produce cannabinoid analogues. Feeding different fatty acids to our engineered strains yielded cannabinoid analogues with modifications in the part of the molecule that is known to alter receptor binding affinity and potency [Read More]
Featured Paper of the Month – December 2023
Published in Journal of Medicinal Chemistry by Alessandro Bonifazi , Lily Saab and Amy Hauck Newman of the NIDA IRP Medicinal Chemistry Section.
The Newman Lab published a new generation of dual-target mu opioid receptor (MOR) agonists/dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) antagonists/partial agonists as potentially safer analgesics.
The acceptability of overdose alert and response technologies: introducing the TPOM-ODART framework. Harm Reduct J
A TPOM-ODART framework, a model of overdose alert and response technologies (ODART) based on the existing health information technology TPOM dataset, was developed to better understand factors involved in harm reduction technology acceptability to people who use opioids (PWUO). Concerns of trust, readiness, accessibility, and capacity were found to be key factors in engaging and retaining PWUO in ODRAT interventions. [Read More]
Featured Paper of the Month – November 2023
Published in Translational Psychiatry by Jacqueline Keighron and Gianluigi Tanda, et al. of the NIDA IRP Medication Development Program.
In this study, we show that pretreatments with an inhibitor of CaMKIIα, a kinase that interacts with DAT and regulates synapsin phosphorylation and mobilization of reserve pools of DA vesicles, blunted the effects of cocaine on evoked DA release without affecting cocaine inhibition of DA reuptake.
Hot Off the Press – October 24, 2023 Published in Cell Reports by David Barker, Shiliang Zhang and Marisela Morales et al. from the NIDA IRP. Summary The ventral tegmental area (VTA) has been proposed to play a role in pain, but the brain structures modulating VTA activity in response to painful stimuli remain unclear…. [Read More]
Sensitive multicolor indicators for monitoring norepinephrine in vivo. Nat Methods.
Existing GPCR-based Norepinephrine sensors are based on alpha-2a adrenergic receptors and do not exhibit the kinetic properties needed to investigate in vivo NE dynamics in response to different drugs. Kagiampaki et al. developed a new set of fluorescent indicators based on the alpha-1a adrenergic receptors. The nLight sensors combined with fiber photometry and two-photon imaging could be used to investigate spatial and temporal aspects of Norepinephrine signaling in animal models of substance use disorder. [Read More]
Hot Off the Press – October 2023 Published in Current Biology by Thorsten Kahnt, et al. Summary Predictive cues typically come in bunches and combining their predictions may improve behavior. Yet, we know almost nothing about how people process reward predictions from multiple cues as well as the brain mechanisms that are involved. Our manuscript… [Read More]
Featured Paper of the Month – October 2023
Published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence with contributions from Michael Baumann and colleagues from the NIDA IRP.
For this study, we examined the pharmacological effects of non-fentanyl synthetic opioids, including U-47700, brorphine, and isotonitazene, as compared to morphine and fentanyl.
As the lab manager for the Aponte Lab, Sarah is one of the first people new lab personnel meet. She takes new lab members on a tour of the facility and points out emergency exits, eye washes, and fire alarms. Sarah reminds lab members how to properly store and dispose of all chemicals. Congratulations, Sarah… [Read More]
